Originally posted by edl JP,
I had a similar experience, revelation, whatever you want to call it when I was street shooting with a D300 and 85/1.4 in Tokyo. It would lock AF long after the sun set, whereas my K20D AF became, well, not so great.
I ended up with a D700, but for BIF where you need the reach I think a lightly used D300 and 70-200 VR I with TC would be a great combo. You could also get a Nikon 300/4 AF-S, or longer, brand new from Nikon. In any case, if you did well with the camera on loan it'll be even better once you setup the AF to your preferences.
I would only caution you to consider the cost of glass, as Nikon lenses are generally more expensive then Canon. But they also come with a five year warranty, and slightly better quality control (although both Canon and Nikon typically have better QC on their expensive long glass).
Good luck,
Edmund
PS - I sold all my pentax dSLR bodies after 6 months of non-use after the D700 purchase. Kept the Takumars though.
Ed,
Thanks for the reply.
I like the fact that the crop sensors give you another x-factor and that really is a blessing for anyone doing wildlife photo.
Yes, I checked Nikon's lenses for prices: very expensive indeed, almost shockingly so!
Funny you mentioned the Nikon 70-200 VR I while some people say that it is not quite at its best at the long end. I couldn't tell, I don't own one.
Another thing is this: I am told by some people on another forum that one should not keep two different brands/systems, i.e; Pentax-Nikon. I realize this may be true for most, and I tend to agree with that, but why not?, except for more money spent (my own budget is also limited).
I hear the D700 is one great camera!
JP